India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 25— Many of the journalists reporting from the violence-hit areas in the northeast Delhi have faced with life-threatening and humiliating moments in the last two days. Erupted as clashes between pro and anti-CAA protesters Sunday afternoon, the violence became communal and spread in different parts of the northeast part of the national capital.
Two reporters of NDTV news channel – Arvind Gunasekar and Saurabh Shukla – were badly beaten up by a mob of rioters.
“Two of my colleagues @arvindgunasekar and @Saurabh_Unmute were badly beaten by a mob just now in Delhi, they only stopped beating them after realising they are “our people- Hindus”. Absolutely despicable,” tweeted Nidhi Razdan, Executive Editor of NDTV.
“@arvindgunasekar & @Saurabh_Unmute of NDTV have been beaten up while reporting from #NortheastDelhi today. Have been rushed to a hospital. Very tough day for reporters & photojournalists. Please be safe,” tweeted Somya Lakhani of The Indian Express.
Saurabh was among very first journalists who reported about violence Tuesday morning. On Twitter, he had written in Hindi about a passenger who was assaulted and looted by rioters and about a house set ablaze.
NDTV’s Mariyam Alvi was hit on the back by a mob in a different part of northeast Delhi, from where she was reporting along with Sreenivasan Jain. The cameraperson with them, Sushil Rathee, was also injured, says India’s one of the most respected TV channels.
Journalists with Malayalam News Channels, MediaOne and Manorama News were heckled by the mob while covering the violence in the northeast Delhi on Tuesday.
Monday was a horrific day for several other journalists.
Aninda Chattopadhyay, a photojournalist with the Times of India, was mobbed by a group of rioters who threatened to take off his pants to confirm religion.
Vijayta Lalwani, a reporter with Scroll.in said she saw several men in the crowd were armed with metal rods and sticks made of wood and bamboo. One man brandished a sword. There were loudly chanting slogans like Jai Shri Ram.
A photojournalist with The Caravan Magazine at the Chand Bagh area said he saw the Police force moving along with the mob.
Aninda Chattopadhyay narrated his ordeal: “My horrifying experience began when I reached Maujpur Metro Station at around 12.15 pm. I was taken by surprise when a Hindu Sena member suddenly approached me offering to put tilak on my forehead saying it would make my work “easier”. A short while later I realised they were following me. A youth accosted me and asked, “Bhai, tu zyada uchhal raha hai. Tu Hindu hai ya Musalman? (Brother, you are acting very smart. Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?)” They threatened to take off my pants to confirm my religion. I then folded my hands and said I was just a lowly photographer. They then gave me a few threats, but let me go.”
Vijayta Lalwani recollects that not only did the police fail to act against the mob, in one instance they were also seen asking the CAA supporters to throw stones at those opposed to the law.
She said: “I stumbled on scenes of panic: several protestors were running as the police fired tear gas shells. In the lanes, people were vomiting as a reaction to the tear gas. Running away from the tear gas, I spotted bricks and stones piled on crates that were situated along the road. Some protestors guided the reporters to a house where we took refuge from the tear gas. As the tear gas cleared, I walked back to Maujpur Chowk to find a festive mood among CAA supporters. Loud music was blaring as hundreds gathered on the spot chanted slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.
“Several men in the crowd were armed with metal rods and sticks made of wood and bamboo. One man brandished a sword. The police stood 200 metres away, choosing not to act against them. The crowd had threatened to target reporters. By then, thankfully, I had left the area,” she adds.
